Kickboxing promotion Glory returns to the capital of Denmark on Saturday April 29. The event is a 10-fight bill comprising Glory 40 Copenhagen live on TV and Glory 40 Super Fight Series on UFC Fight Pass. The headliner will see a highly anticipated third encounter between the current middleweight champion Jason Wilnis of Netherlands and a former title holder in the division Simon Marcus of Canada.

Wilnis and Marcus have unfinished business. Canadian took the win in their first bout and Dutch paid back in the second. Wilnis who aims his second title defense declared the upcoming bout against Marcus as a personal matter.

Well-known as a muaythai stylist Simon Marcus, 30, similarly looks forward to their clash. “The One” said he knows where he belongs and has no problem with a defeat he faced in their previous encounter. Focused on the task at hand and confident in the victory he spoke to fightmag.com.au revealing his goals in life, switch from muaythai to kickboxing, training camp for the upcoming bout and more.

Talking the beginning of the times Marcus said that he first “tried muaythai at the of 16 and trained for about two months.” At the age of 18 he started training aiming a professional career in sport, moreover “to be know as the greatest of all time”.

“I started muaythai because I always loved fighting. Since I was a child I wanted to learn the Art of fighting,” he said.

“My goal is to be known as the greatest of all time. I want my name in the conversation when people talk about an example of a true champion, such as the Great Muhammad Ali.”

Muay Thai Kickboxing

Today’s American kickboxing, commonly known and prettified as the “K-1” style of fighting, has originally evolved as a Full Contact Karate, with the further induction of the leg kick techniques thanks to Japan, as well as the knee techniques borrowed from Muay Thai. However it is indeed different from the authentic Art of Eight Limbs. Numerous top muaythai fighters have experienced difficulties in competing with kickboxers, due to prohibited elbow-strikes, clinching and more.

Nevertheless Simon Marcus said that “the great fighters can adapt and dominate any stand up combat sport”. In addition, fighting in muaythai is still in his books.

“Although I am a muaythai practitioner, it has been proven that regardless of the rule setting, great fighters can adapt and dominate any stand up combat sport. So this was a challenge I was more than willing to embrace.”

“I definitely miss using my elbows, and clinch as well as all the other traditions that come with muaythai. I hope to fight in muaythai again in the future.”

Simon Marcus made his debut at Glory Kickboxing in 2014. Talking the promotion he said that “it’s the biggest world stage for the top muaythai fighters and kickboxers on the Globe”.

“They have the highest level of competition and I know that is where I belong. As the best fighter in the world its only fitting I am matched against all the other top fighters.”

Lesson learned

After facing a defeated against Wilnis last September, Marcus stopped Dustin Jacoby in the US and Wang Shaohua in China. When asked about the Glory 33: New Jersey event he revealed that the main reason was the “focus” other than the physical condition.

“The main reason for my loss in the second fight was a loss of focus. I believe I lost my focus in that fight which led to the knockdowns. I was dominating him up until that point.”

“It was a lesson I needed to learn at this point of my career to take my game to the next level. Since then I have worked on tweaking some openings that were there in the first fight, and ensuring they wont be there in the next.”

“I am 100% focused on the task at hand. Confident in the victory.”

Banchamek Gym

For the upcoming clash with Wilnis, Marcus trained at the Banchamek Gym in Bangkok. He traveld to Thailand to “get away from any possible distraction that everyday life can present at home”. He has trained shoulder to shoulder with the prominent fighters such as Superbon, Petchtanong, Vitaly Gurkov, among others.

“Buakaw [Banchamek] is my mentor and best friend in Thailand. He always helps bring my skill and mind to a higher level. It’s also a gym with great energy and versatile training.”

“I train and spar with whoever is training at the gym. Just working on being me when I step in the ring on April 29th. The One.”

A post shared by Simon "The ONE" Marcus (@simonmarcusno1) on Apr 2, 2017 at 9:46am PDT

Goal in life

When asked about the major goal in life, Simon Marcus said that he desires to help others with reaching their dreams. He also certainly aspires to be a role-model for his children.

“My goal in life is to help others live their dreams as I have lived mine, and continue to be happy doing what I love. Also being an example for my children to follow their hearts, and that anything is possible.”

In conclusion Marcus thanked all for their support and believe in him. “Too many to mention,” he said. He has also declared that “any set back is just a set up for a bigger come back”.

“I want to thank all my fans for their continued support. I want to let them know I will make them proud to support me in my next fight and once again prove that we can always overcome obstacles in our path. Any set back is just a set up for a bigger come back.”

“I want thank my sponsor Hayabusa for providing me with world-class training gear. Huge thanks to my family and all the people that help me along my journey. Most of all thanks to God The Most High for all he has done for me and for giving me health, strength and the vision to walk this path.

“To my children Zion, Zaniah and Zayir: I love you. I will make sure the time I spent away was all worth it.”

Parviz Iskenderov is a Muay Thai fighter from Perth, Australia. He is a former National champion of Belarus, and also a finalist of IFMA European Cup. He is an editor and journalist at FIGHTMAG. Iskenderov is also the WKN (World Kickboxing Network) international coordinator for Australia.

FIGHTMAG is an Australian online magazine that covers Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts internationally. FIGHTMAG exists only to create excellent journalism in the field of combat sports.